beauty.

the lyrics and the images on this video are right on. this world depicts beauty as outer appearance, and unrealistic perfection. women in our society are so hard on themselves. there is no perfect image, and there never will be. we are all made beautiful and perfect in gods image.

"charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." {proverbs 31:30}

inspirational people in my life

these are a few of the people in my life that continue to challenge and inspire me. i look up to all of these people so much. i wanted to thank them by letting them know how wonderful they are, and how much they mean to me. love you all :]


first off, my amazing husband. you are already a saint for marrying me. thanks for being my everything and walking through life with me. can't wait to see where we are 5,10,25,50,etc. years from now.

[my knight in shining armor]



mom, you are an incredible lady. you are always putting your kids first, and watching out for us. people always tell me i'm just like you, i take that as the ultimate compliment.



camp sisters is what they call us. torr, you are such a strong and faithful friend. i admire your consistent friendship, even when we lived in different towns all through high school. you are always there to encourage me, and push me to my limits.



cheerful and loving spirit is what you are. laura, you are such a great example to me and what it looks like to follow hard after god. you are such a true friend. i admire your ability to take every situation life throws at you, and look straight to jesus for direction.

[loveliest redhead i know]



kels, there is no one in the world that makes me laugh harder than you do. you have been my best friend for 18 years, and i am continually amazed at how much our friendship grows with every new season.

[you can identify her laugh ANYWHERE]



this girl beats to her own drum. alex is a great example to so many young women in her church. she is such a great example to me as well. she is my secret keeper, and i love that about her. i know i can trust her with any and everything... not to mention she listens, and she gives great advice.

[wish i could see this beautiful bride-to-be more than i get to!]



go getter is what this girl is. codes, you are such a fighter. you inspire me to push myself. you are also one of the sweetest people i know, i am so encouraged by your sweet spirit, and tender heart.

[darling birthday girl]



mogs, i mean carly :] you are such a god fearing woman. i admire your ability to give me advice straight from scripture, and your honest yet loving words. you speak so much truth into so many lives. you will be an outstanding senior counselor, those girls will be beyond blessed to have you.

[of course i used this picture, she's sipping out of a cute little mug]



woah girl, you are one god loving woman! i was so blessed to counsel with you this summer. i have learned so much from you. you continue to seek christ, through every situation, and i really admire your spiritual maturity. wish you weren't in texas :[

[this girl has fabulous style and creativity]





there are so many other people who inspire and encourage me, these are just a few that i wanted to share with you :]

these are a few of my favorite things...

i absolutely love browsing the web for new ideas and inspirations. i thought i would display some of my favorite things. some things i want to make and some things are from a far away reality that i'll never be able to afford, only dream about [sigh]


i'm OBSESSED with bird cages. okay, i'm obsessed with anything that has to do with birds. brad jokes and says that we live in a bird cage, because most of my decor is inspired by birds. i'm sure in a few years i'll look back and wonder what i was thinking, but that's why trends are great.



i would love to make these curtains. i'm planning on making some this summer, because we have 3 windows in our apartment that are in need of some window treatment. [i love the charcoal/white/&yellow]



brad made me some candle holders using tree branches, and they turned out awesome. i think i might ask him to do a new project for me... :]

[cute right?!]



[brilliant.]



can i have my quiet times in this room? please & thank you.



OBSESSED with this outdoor dining setup. it's so chic. i really love when people decide to decorate with dark brown, rather than black. i think this dark wood looks awesome with the red. great choice in color.

i can just picture myself getting lost in conversation at this table on a warm summer day.



anyone who knows me will tell you i love coffee. how cute are these knitted mug sleeves?



[photo by kelsey hancock]



i am a gluten-free girl. i love baking. this gluten-free cookbook has some really great recipes. not only is it gluten-free, but it's vegan as well.

[so tasty. you won't be disappointed.]



meet the author and founder of babycakes bakery [located in nyc.]



this would look great in my closet... but sadly, it'll never be in my budget. a girl can dream, right?

not only do i LOVE the dress, but i also really love her hair, shoes, and accessories.



hope you enjoyed these things as much as i do.